This section of sacred-texts archives the rich literature of Sagas and Legends.
These are mostly (but not all) from Northern Europe,
and primarily based on legendary events and people from the Middle Ages.
Many of these narratives are based on archetypal stories that date even
further back in time.

The 1001 Arabian Nights
tr. by Sir Richard Burton [1850]An 'unexpurgated' version of the Arabian Nights,
translated from the Arabic by the Orientalist Sir Richard Burton.
The Arabian Nights' Entertainments
tr. by Andrew Lang, Illustrations by H. J. Ford [1898]A version of the Arabian Nights suitable for Victorian children.
Translated and abridged from the French version of Galland
by the folklorist Andrew Lang.
1001 Arabian NightsA full etext of the 16 volume Sir Richard Burton translation.
Highly recommended. [External Site]

The Kalevala is the national saga of Finland.
Pieced together (and embellished) by Elias Lönnrot
from traditional storytellers in the late 19th Century,
the tales which constitute the Kalevala show signs of great antiquity.

The Kalevala (English)John Martin Crawford, tr. [1888]
The Finnish national epic, the wars of wizards and heroes to control a mystical artifact.
This etext was the first English version of the
Kalevala available on the Internet; it
was scanned at sacred-texts, and
is the source of the Project Gutenberg text of this book.
The Kalevala (Finnish)
Collected by Elias Lönnrot.
This etext of the Kalevala in Finnish is from the Runeberg project.Magic Songs of the West Finns, Vol. I
by John Abercromby [1898].A treasure trove of Finnish lore.Magic Songs of the West Finns, Vol. II
by John Abercromby and Elias Lönnrot [1898].Ancient Finnish charms, formulae, and prayers, used by Shamans, healers, and peasants from ancient times.Baltic Wizards
by Frances Jenkins Olcott [1928]This includes a section on Finnish folklore.

Wagner's Ring of the Niblung
by Richard Wagner, translated by Margaret Armour;
Illustrations by Arthur Rackham [1910].An excellent translation of the librettos of
operas Siegfried and Die Götterdammerung
(Twilight of the Gods), with beautiful illustrations by the one of the best
fairy-tale illustrators of the 19th Century.
The Nibelungenlied
translated by Daniel B. Shumway [1909]The Nibelungenlied is derived from the Ancient Norse Eddas.
The Nibelungenlied also supplied source material
for Wagner's Ring opera cycle.
Hero Tales and Legends of the Rhine
by Lewis Spence [1915]Lore of the Rhine valley, including the Nibelunglied saga.Grimm's Household Tales
by Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm, translated by Margaret Hunt [1812]
Summer Legends
by Rudolph Baumbach,
Translated by Helen B. Dole [1888]
Thanks Eliza, for donating this text!
Visit her site at http://www.sacredspiral.com/ [External Site].
The Germany of TacitusOne of the only ancient descriptions of the Germanic tribes.
Part of The Complete works of Tacitus.